Redemption

by Julie Chibbaro

The wet earth smells of mushroom and loam. I race through the trees. Branches reach for my eyes and tangle my hair. My kirtle rips, but I still run, faster through the woodland, escaping the murderous men who chase behind me with vicious, barking dogs. Th

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Action, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 2004

About the author

Julie Chibbaro is the award-winning author of three novels: Into the Dangerous World (Viking, 2015), a hybrid graphic/novel about a girl artist on the NY streets in 1984, Deadly (Simon & Schuster 2011, Scholastic 2012), a medical mystery about the hunt for Typhoid Mary in 1906, and Redemption (S&S 2004) a historical novel about a girl's unintended trip to the New World in 1524.

Into the Dangerous World has received a starred Publishers Weekly review, is a Junior Library Guild Selection, and is a Children's Book Council Notable Social Studies Book.

Deadly won the 2011 National Jewish Book Award, and was Top 10 on the American Library Association's Amelia Bloomer Project list. It was named a Bank Street Best Book, and an Outstanding Science Trade Book by the National Science Teachers Association. It is now part of many schools’ curriculum.

Julie Chibbaro's first book, Redemption (Simon & Schuster 2004), an epic tale of love, kidnapping, and white Indians, won the 2005 American Book Award.

Reviews

[Jordan Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical story of a twelve year old girl's voyage from England to the New World in colonial times. She leaves England as a child, but arrives in her strange and alien new home very much an adult after an arduous sea journey. However, Lily's troubles are far from over. In attempts to find her father, she is captured by an Indian tribe.
This book is descriptively well written, with life-like characters and an exciting, heartbreakingly tragic plot line.
I thought that it was done with exceeding talent, and fascinating, accurate historical detail.
However, I would warn readers not to approach this book if you are looking for a cheerful, light children's story. Though I found this shelved in my library's YA section, it is probably more appropriate for mature readers. Chibbaro focuses on themes such as rape and lewd brutality. These scenes were described with sickening detail, and are without question the most striking in the entire book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical fiction about what it was like coming over to the New World. This one is unique because of the characters and the non-preachiness (word?). [return][return]Chronicles the arduous journey of a twelve-year-old English girl and her mother as they flee with other religious protesters to the New World in the early 1500's, and the heartbreak and hope they find when they arrive.

[joy *the clean-reader extraordinaire* · Rating 4 out of 5]

i have honestly never read a book about this time period before. fascinating and superbly written.

a minor complaint --
it's a debut novel, and the author gets carried away with the (albeit beautiful) descriptions of the new world

pg13 green
some era profanity; a woman is repeatedly abused by the nobility; there is death, disease, deception and danger all around

[Monica Caldicott]

Lily’s father was taken in the middle of the night and sent to the New World and perhaps to his death, for all she knows. Now it is she and her mother also who are being forced to emigrate and perhaps fall off the edge of the world. Lily is sure it is because they are followers of Frere Lanther, a priest who is protesting against the Roman Catholic Church.

Read p. 20 “Peter the man on the bed above us…”

Lily is surprised to discover that on the same boat to the New World is the baron, the local lord, and his son. She is more surprised to find that Ethan does not think badly of the Protesters, as his father does, but admires their beliefs and wants to meet Lily to talk.

Read p. 33 “I see the boy…”

Lily and Ethan find they must stick together to survive the many dangers of the New World.

[Max Fischer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chibbaro reseaches an incidental story of English nobles wanting to colonize a piece of North America in the early sixteenth century (perhaps along the coast of Maine)and turns it into a young adolescent novel. The actual colonists are a band of early Protestants whose presence in Catholic-controlled England is tenuous at best.

In my opinion, Chibbaro's imagination is a double-edged sword. Her description of the characters, settings and conflicts on both sides of the Atlantic is spot-on to what can be retrieved from the historical record. The relationship between the colonists and several tribes of natives in the coastal region is left up to her since no record was ever left. She does an admirable job in conveying the pull the colonists have toward one group of natives as opposed to another, more fearsome clan.

However, the entire story is a first-person narration presented through the view of twelve-year-old Lily whose father apparently went ahead of her on an initial voyage of colonists. She knows nothing of his fate before she and her mother follow. As the story progresses, especially upon Lily's arrival in the New World, the reader is locked in her mind and every little action bears an elongated mental picture from her. For me it got to the point that I wanted to escape the ad nauseam personal thoughts and just get on with the story.

[Kairee-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3

I met this author at a local book fair and it makes me happy knowing that she was an author with such a usual idea for a story like this one and love for the different parts of our history. So as a result, I grabbed it to see what she was like as writer and I'm so glad I took a chance with this.:)

This book was such a quick and powerful read. I loved the historical content and the spiritual undertones that spread around this book everywhere. I also loved the characters, the plot, all of the struggles Lily endures. I wish I could give "Redemption" a five star rating, but I was ehh with the idea of Lily and Ethan being younger than sixteen because of the love they had for each other. But, I understood that this book took place in another time. Overall, I loved this book and I'm excited how far Chibbaro will go in her writing in the future. :)

[Cole Sawickis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overall, I did not like "Redemption" at all. I hated this book because I do not like the kind of fiction where they don't know much about the world around them. This book goes back to where the people thought the world was flat. Also, just a warning, it does talk about rape. Lily's mother was raped by the baron because he goes crazy. So if you don't want a book where it talks about sexual content. Don't read it. Another reason I didn't like about this book is how it goes from the people being on a ship, and then splits to where they are on land. It makes it harder to understand, and I just wondered why it didn't gradually build up to where they would find land.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a great book to pick up if you ever want to get away from reality. This book never looses my attention instead i can barely ever put it down. Its a great example of history of when people believed the earth was flat and in what they belived religously back then. i hope that anyone who reads this book would agree with me that its a perfect read i mean who wouldent like this book

[Alexis Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don't like historical fiction but this book was awesome. I highly recommend you read this book, it is one of the best books I have ever read. The main characters are Lillie and Ethan. when lillie was just a young girl her father was taken away from her and shipped to the new world. Her and her mother end up being shipped to the same place to look for her father.

[Cmosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great book, but I don't recommend it to younger kids. The main characters are 12 year old lily, and 12 year old eathen. The setting takes place in England, but lily and her mother most travel to the new world to find there father who was taken by mysterious men in the night. Once they get there they most survive savages, pirates, canables, sickness, and hunger.

[Disneyvillainsfreak1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a little dark, but I think so much of history is dark that historical fiction without it is just inaccurate. So be warned that there are a lot of really triggering events in this book, but the book is still really worth a read in my opinion.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, kinda....too perfect in the ending. Plot development is okay.

[Renae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This made me weary. I think it was the main character's fatalism and negativity. Hm.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historical aspect of this novel was intriguing. A case of reverse colonization of the whites by native Indians.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually hate books that take place in the old days, but damn son this was so good!